Being the Ricardos

This is exactly the kind of film that screams "Oscar bait." A dialogue-heavy piece that tries to captivate by referencing old Hollywood and poking fun at the soap operas of the 1950s. However, it also burdens its characters with petty squabbles that weighed the film down for me. Ultimately, the movie’s saving grace is the stellar acting — almost theatrical in its delivery. It’s the performances that make this worth watching, with Nicole Kidman standing out as the clear star. (03/14/2022)

For 20 years, I have fondly remembered the older TV movie Lucy (2003), I adore the original series I Love Lucy, and of course, Kidman. Therefore, my expectations were high, and so is my disappointment. But Aaron Sorkin, though he has been working on the film for a long time and was even there when Kidman tried to find her Hollywood place in Malice 30 years ago, but he is apparently a much better screenwriter than a director. Such a great topic and so much of it wasted! Shrinking the story into a single week and haphazardly putting together the marriage crisis, membership in the Communist Party, the creation of a groundbreaking sitcom, and even combining drama with fake docudrama? That really wasn't necessary. (06/08/2024)